Sunday, February 28, 2010

Just when Ohio Republicans think that voters have forgotten about their scandals, Tom "Coingate" Noe, former Republican fundraiser, has something to say from prison. In an article from today's Dispatch, Tom Noe doesn't seem to show much remorse. People will read the article and think that Noe is sorry he got caught more than he is sorry about losing millions of dollars for the state.

If you are clueless about Noe, the Ohio GOP, and the Coingate scandal, just do a Google search of the terms Coingate scandal.

Friday, February 26, 2010

Teachers, parents, and students are frightened about the talk that has come out of the mouth of John Kasich, Republican candidate for governor, and former director for the now bankrupt Lehman Brothers. If Kasich cuts education by eliminating the state income tax, the entire state will become a disaster area.

Gov. Ted Strickland was cheered by members of the Ohio Federation of Teachers at a convention in Toledo Friday as he lambasted political opponents who want to eliminate the state income tax or are "cheerleaders for failure."

Mr. Strickland said Ohio’s "evidence-based model" education reform plan that he helped pass last year was recognized as the most innovative education plan in the country by the nonprofit Education Commission of the States.......State Sen. Gary Cates (R., West Chester) criticized the award as "political" and said the state is undeserving....

Strickland is right. Cates, Kasich, Husted and the rest of them want Ohio's schools to fail so that they can let their buddies/campaign contributors put charter schools all over the state.

Republican Sen. Jim Bunning (R-KY) on Thursday night expressed his opposition to renewing unemployment benefits on the Senate floor with an unusually harsh message for its backers: "Tough s--t."

Bunning repeatedly and single-handedly objected to an effort by Sen. Dick Durbin (D-IL) to attain unanimous consent among senators for extending COBRA and other benefits to out-of-work individuals across America.

"I don't think it's fair to do what you are proposing to do," he said to Durbin. "And I'll be here as long as you're here, and as long as all those other senators are here, and I'm going to object every time."

Bunning obviously doesn't care about his own constituents in Kentucky where the unemployment rate is 10.7%. It might be a good idea for the unemployed in Kentucky to show up at Bunning's home and ask for rent and grocery money.

*** We all remember that John Kasich, Republican candidate for Ohio governor, had launched his plan to eliminate the Ohio income tax. ABCNews had this on January 15, 2010:

Republican gubernatorial candidate John Kasich said Thursday that he has picked a running mate in state Auditor Mary Taylor who shares his commitment to phase out Ohio's income tax to help the state's economy.....

Republican gubernatorial candidate John Kasich (KAY'-sick) praised a northwest Ohio lawmaker last February for a plan to repeal Ohio's income tax over 10 years.

But Kasich was careful not to embrace the timeline laid out in the tax plan pushed by state Rep. John Adams once he announced his candidacy in June. And now that the bill is under fire at the Statehouse, both men are taking pains to distance Kasich from it.

Repealing the income tax is still central to Kasich's platform in the race to unseat Democratic Gov. Ted Strickland. He says he doesn't know how long it will take....

Despite all his cockiness, we've seen Kasich collapse under the pressure of people and the press asking questions. Amazing. Just as I've written before, Kasich has refused to detail how he plans to fix the state, but assures us he'll let us know after he is elected. Is Kasich offering us a pig in a poke?

>>>> DaytonDailyNews has an item about a Republican candidate who was arrested----

A former Butler Township trustee and Republican candidate for a state representative seat is facing a misdemeanor after he allegedly punched a man in the face during a bar fight.

Montgomery County Sheriff’s deputies responded to Shiloh Athletic Club, 5515 N. Main St., about 9:15 p.m. Wednesday, Feb. 24, after a man said Joseph Ellis punched him in the face during an argument at the bar, according to a sheriff’s incident report.

Ellis, 58, is a candidate to fill Seth Morgan’s (R-Huber Heights) seat. He is running against Michael E. Henne of Clayton in the May primary.....

* Buckeye State Blog had a lot of valuable information yesterday about former Lehman Brothers director, John Kasich.

* The right-leaning Columbus Dispatch has a story about the fighting going on between the two Republican candidates for Ohio Auditor, Seth Morgan and David Yost. Yost was picked by head Republican honcho, Kevin DeWine. Morgan is the darling tea party sheeple. Are these Republicans able to act like adults?

Thursday, February 25, 2010

In the Toledo Blade, Marilou Johanek, explains that John Kasich thinks he can tell you later on how he'll fix the state. Here is an excerpt:

....how will voters get the unvarnished truth about what sacrifices lie ahead with budget shortfalls?They start by cornering Mr. Strickland about the spending increases he's gambling on in the state budget and demanding to know how, short of an economic miracle that makes revenue suddenly surpass all expectations, the state will ever maintain its projected funding levels. Voters must demand to know exactly how Mr. Kasich intends to handle Ohio's budget problems if he becomes governor, and refuse to accept his lame response: "People will have all the specifics when it's time for me to give it to them."

That kind of cavalier attitude could upset conventional wisdom and allow the incumbent to surge in the polls - as Mr. Strickland did in a Quinnipiac University poll released this week, showing him ahead of his Republican challenger 44 percent to 39 percent.

Kasich won't tell you what sacrifices you'll have to make until he gets elected. Are you willing to gamble your future on the unknown? Would you buy a car not knowing how much it will cost you?

*** I'm watching the health care conversation on C-SPAN 3 right now. John Boehner looks like a meek little mouse. I'm surprised. For the last two weeks, Boehner has been boasting what he'd do or say at this health care summit with the President. Today, he looks like an unimportant, unnaturally orange person.

A few weeks ago, we attended a fundraiser for a young woman who has cancer, but no health insurance. It is so sad that people have to resort to this type of fundraising to get treatment, while the Republicans continue to get big political contributions from health insurance firms to stop health reform.

We cannot afford to start over with the health care reform. If the Republicans refuse to be part of the improvement of health care in this country, they need to get out of the way.

Wednesday, February 24, 2010

The good people over at OhioDaily have the data on what would happen to public schools in the state if John Kasich becomes governor and then cuts the state income tax.

This new information is from the Legislative Service Commission. This information below is only a partial list from the OhioDailyblog:

...The list below shows the amount individual districts receive today. Row 1 shows the loss in state aid in the first year. Row 2 shows the loss in state and federal aid. Row 3 shows the loss in state aid once the income tax is fully phased out....

I live near Westerville and I'm sure that the parents of students in the Westerville schools would not be happy to see what would happen to their district's funding if Kasich's cockamamie idea becomes law. Parents in every public school district in the state have continued to carry the financial burden with levies because Republicans have failed to fix the school funding in the state. This kind of plan would just be devastating to parents, teachers, and students. Obviously, this is Kasich's way of destroying the public schools and rewarding his pals who own charter schools.

Even though the numbers for all the districts are not available, we can just imagine the disaster. A vote for Kasich is a vote to destroy our schools.

It doesn't take a rocket scientist to see that Ohio Republicans have taken a far right turn in politics. Not only are they courting the extreme right, they go out of their way to speak in front of these tea party/912 groups. At the recent CPAC meeting in Washington, DC, the far, far, far, right John Birch Society had a pivotal role at the event.

Who are these tea party groups and what do they want? On a recent appearance on NPR, the Washington Independent writer, David Weigel, said that these tea party groups want to turn the clock back to the days prior to President Teddy Roosevelt. That philosophy would mean that many of us would lose: our rights to vote (women, minorities, and those under 21), our Civil Rights, Social Security, Medicare, etc., etc. These tea partiers want to turn the clock back to a time when rich, white males controlled everything.

Despite these apparent goals of the tea party groups, Ohio Republicans continue to schmooze, speak, and campaign with these people.

No one has gone out of his way more than Republican John Kasich to woo the tea party conservatives. He has spoken at several of their meetings and, and they have been invited to attend his events (see news-messenger.com). Republicans Rob Portman and Steve Stivers, a former bank lobbyist, continue to court groups associated with the tea party/912 project/Ohio Liberty Council.

With their appearances at these far right groups/rallies/picnics, are Kasich, Portman, and Stivers telling us that they too want to turn the clock back to pre-Teddy Roosevelt???? Are Kasich, Portman, and Stivers against rights for women and minorities? We can understand that a candidate will speak in front of many different groups, but these three Republicans repeatedly seek out these far right groups. Why? What philosophies do Kasich, Portman, and Stivers share with these far right groups? We are waiting for answers!

Tuesday, February 23, 2010

In that Dispatch article that reported the latest Quinnipiac Poll for the Strickland-Kasich race, there is a sentence that we need to examine:

"John Kasich remains unknown to most voters," Brown said.

Kasich was a big deal for Republicans in the 1990's where he spent his time fighting against the Clinton agenda. Kasich's legislative proposals were rooted in the far right. In the last decade, Kasich spent his time making deals at the now bankrupt Lehman Brothers and appearing on Fox News. While Kasich was spouting off his right wing opinions on Fox News, the only people who heard him were the 65 to 75 year old regular viewers. If you look at pictures on the internet taken at Kasich's events, the people tend to be white, old, and primarily males. Kasich just hasn't impressed younger voters and women.

In interviews, Kasich talks about his heroes, Gov. Rhodes and President Ronald Reagan. That might mean something to someone over 60 or 70 years of age, but it doesn't appeal to the rest of us. It just seems that Kasich is not really talking about important issues that matter for all Ohioans, not just the people with 401ks and stock options.

As long as Kasich keeps repeating his biography about his family in McKeesport, PA, and his favorite people, Rhodes and Reagan, the rest of us will remain bored and uninterested.

Bolstered by a strong showing among women, Gov. Ted Strickland reclaimed the lead in the Ohio governor's race over Republican John Kasich, a new poll shows.

The Democrat holds a 5-point lead, 44 percent to 39 percent, compared to a deadlock at 40 percent in Quinnipiac University's previous poll in November.....

....Strickland tops Kasich 48 percent to 33 percent with female voters while Kasich leads 45 percent to 38 percent among males. The governor does slightly better among his fellow Democrats than the former congressman does among other Republicans. They split among independents, each with 38 percent.....

I wonder if the Kasich campaign will be quoting this poll????? Why is Kasich falling behind with women voters? Most of Kasich's talk has been about abolishing the state income tax. Working women know that Kasich's plans to abolish the state income tax would penalize their children, their neighborhood schools, the libraries, and the agencies that many women depend upon day after day.

The article does not mention if Republican leader Boehner actually read the new proposal that had been put forth by President Obama. Boehner is against any and all health care reforms. Why?

1.) A bill that would allow health care reforms would forever mark the GOP as the party that stood in the way of health care improvements. The GOP doesn't want the President and the Democrats to win on anything.

2.) All those lobbyists that pay, I mean contribute, to golf with Boehner, would be unhappy.

3.) The Republicans in Congress like the status quo. They have health care and they don't give a damn if you don't.

4.) The Republicans still have not produced a health care reform bill of their own. It is clearly not one of their priorities.

The Republicans have no goals except to stand in the way of progress until they can get back in the majority. They clearly do not like being second fiddle. Americans should not look to the Republicans for any new ideas or solutions. Their "tea party" friends are nothing more than a group of right wing racists who woke up to the fact that the President of the United States doesn't look like them. I know it and you know it.

Monday, February 22, 2010

* You might want to check out my take on Ohio Auditor Mary Taylor's unconventional work arrangement. Visit my other blog at http://stubbornliberal.blogspot.com for more on Taylor.

* Why is John Kasich pandering to the tea party people in Ohio? It seems that he just can't get enough of them and speaks to their groups every single chance he gets (Plain Dealer).

* Do you think that John Kasich took advantage of a little old lady when he bought his property in Delaware County, Ohio? Many people are questioning the land deal (Cleveland.com).

* Gov. Ted Strickland appeared on MSNBC's Daily Rundown this morning.

*** Did Republican Congressman Mike Turner (OH-3rd) get an earmark out of a bill that he voted against? Turner was patting himself on the back at the news of a new earmark he got for Dayton Defense (see Dayton Daily News), but he never voted for the bill.

Republican Rep. Turner voted "NO!" on HR 3293, Roll Call Vote 646 for money for the Departments of Labor, Health and Human Services, and Education, and related agencies for the fiscal year ending September 30, 2010. Turner didn't even vote for his own earmark and then he shows up at the celebration??????!!!!!!! In my opinion, Turner doesn't deserve credit. I think that if the representative can't "man up" and vote for the bill, he/she should not get the earmark. Turner is nothing but a hypocrite.

Sunday, February 21, 2010

People have lots of questions about John Kasich's plans to restructure the state government. This would eliminate the jobs of thousands of state employees but Kasich wouldn't stop there.

Joe Hallett of the Dispatch has examined some of Kasich's plans, and has made a few notes:

....He promises to "skinny down" state government. Referring to state programs and services, Kasich said, "You have to go through and figure out: Do you need it, can you shrink it, can you combine it, can you privatize it, can you outsource it, can you sell it, is there a better way of doing things?"

....Here's the problem: Even if all 58,000 state government employees were fired, the savings would amount to about $5 billion -- still $2 billion less than the impending budget hole. But the actual savings in tax dollars would be just over $2 billion, because more than half of state employees are paid with user fees that sustain departments such as commerce, environmental protection, natural resources, insurance and others.....

...So cutting $7 billion to balance the budget would require Kasich to gut services Ohioans depend upon. Schools would close, prisoners would be released and poor children would be kicked to the curb.....

Sounds very draconian. Of course, what do you expect of someone who worked for Lehman Brothers?

**** I find it totally amazing that the Republicans have just noticed that we have a deficit! Exactly which party created the deficit? There are some fascinating charts at the Democratic Underground:

Here in Ohio, Republicans love to use political office to move from one office to another, once they've reached their term limits. For example, Republican member of the Ohio House of Representatives, Kevin Bacon 21st district, will now run for state senator. Mike Duffey, a Republican from Worthington, will campaign for Bacon's seat in the 21st. All this moving from one seat to another does not help Ohioans, but it does give Republicans a salary with benefits.

Mike Duffey was described as a 'maverick' by a small local newspaper, according to his Facebook page. I will never vote for anyone described as a 'maverick' for any office. The term 'maverick' has a very negative connotation in my book.

On the other hand, Bacon, has an interesting record. According to Vote Smart, Republican Kevin Bacon, voted against-a moratorium on foreclosures in the state- a bill to protect tenants during a foreclosure of their rental- the transportation budget- the state government budget- HB 260 Campaign Finance and Election Issues (to improve voter access).

Republican Kevin Bacon seems more interested in following the Republican mantra instead of improving the lives of Ohioans.

Bacon and Duffey will not get my vote, no matter what. They are too far to the right and seem to be more interested in getting an extra paycheck from the state than fixing the state's economy, schools, and transportation.

Billionaire investor Carl Icahn is backing a startup company that would build trains to run on President Barack Obama's high-speed rail network, challenging international manufacturers that dominate the market, the company said Thursday.

Icahn's American Railcar Industries Inc. has formed a joint venture with US Railcar LLC, a Columbus-based company that aims to re-establish passenger train manufacturing in the United States.....

....While US Railcar would begin production in Arkansas, it continues to explore building a factory in suburban Columbus, said Barry Fromm, CEO of Columbus-based Value Recovery Group, whose investors are behind the new rail company. Talks with the Ohio Department of Development are ongoing, he said....

We need to hope that Gov. Strickland, Mr. Icahn, Mr. Fromm, and other investors make some progress on getting this project moving. Come on, Mr. Icahn and Mr. Fromm!!! Thousands of Ohioans are wishing and hoping that you'll bring that rail car factory here to Ohio!!!!

*** Somewhere in Ohio, Kevin DeWine, head honcho of the Ohio GOP, has a major headache. DaytonDailyNews:

State Rep. Seth Morgan won the endorsement of the Greene County Republican Party on Thursday, Feb. 18, with 60 percent of the vote.

The Greene County party voted the opposite of the Ohio Republican Party which is backing Delaware County Prosecutor Dave Yost....

The battle inside the Ohio Republican Party continues. How far to the right will the Ohio GOP go?

Friday, February 19, 2010

It appears that Republican Rep. John Boehner is already measuring the drapes for the office of the Speaker of the House (see picture at left). In a story in the Dispatch, Boehner made promises to the far right CPAC meeting that he'd make big changes if he were elected Speaker of the House. If Republicans win back the House of Representatives, we can count on Boehner turning back time to the 1950's with blockage of workers' rights, a push for privatizing Social Security, and legislation to end Medicare. The last thing we need is Boehner as Speaker of the House.

* Did you know that Republican Presidents have created higher debts than Democrats? Check out this website for more information: http://www.presidentialdebt.org/

* Ohio Republicans are trying to completely destroy any hope for recovery for the state by trying to block the new Ohio rail project. According to an article in Business First, some Republicans are upset that the proposed rail system would not go to their home district. (These GOPers have already complained that the proposed train wasn't fast enough and now they suggest stopping in Newark, Ohio?????) Republicans, Bill Harris, President of the Ohio Senate, John Carey (Wellston), Jay Hottinger (Newark), and David Goodman (New Albany), appear to be hinting that they will block the job creating, rail system through the controlling board.

Here is a quote from an article in the Dispatch: "I think even a bus would be faster than the train," Carey said....

Really? Is Carey speaking from his personal experience from riding on a bus over the proposed route, or did he just pull that theory out of.......... the air?

The Republicans seem to be experiencing schadenfreude in their effort to stop any job creation during Gov. Strickland's administration. They seem to delight in blocking projects, slowing down the passage of helpful legislation, delaying hearings on proposals, and obstructing any progress to get people back to work.

Are these Republicans really helping their constituents by possibly blocking job creation in the state?Here are the unemployment rates of the home districts of these Republican obstructionists:

What have these Republicans done to help get jobs for the unemployed in their districts? Nothing. They continue to mess up any new jobs for the rest of us. Why is it that Carey, Harris, and Hottinger, all from small towns, are controlling the progress for the larger population hubs in the state? Is this what the Republicans have done to our state with their gerrymandering? (This is just another reason why we cannot elect GOPer Husted as Ohio Secretary of State.) How do the people in Cleveland, Columbus, and Cincinnati feel about these Republican small towners blocking jobs for the majority of Ohioans?

Thursday, February 18, 2010

Republican Rep. Steve Austria (OH-7th) has been branded a hypocrite. Steve Austria voted against the stimulus, but managed to show his face at an event with Gov. Strickland that celebrated how the stimulus helped provide additional development at the DuPont plant in Circleville, according to the Columbus Dispatch.

...Democrats say the stimulus has helped the economy and point to reports about Republicans -- including Rep. Pat Tiberi, R-Genoa Township -- who opposed the stimulus but supported stimulus projects.

"Those who waved their fist with the left hand and accepted funds with the right are just more evidence that the Republicans are the party of no -- no to new ideas and, apparently, no shame," Ohio Democratic Party Chairman Chris Redfern said yesterday.....

Isn't just like Steve Austria to show up and try to get credit for something he didn't do? By voting against the stimulus, Steve Austria thumbed his nose at the unemployed.

According to the Clerk of the House, Republican Reps. Austria, Boehner, Jordan, LaTourette, Latta, Schmidt, Tiberi, and Turner all voted against this Hate Crimes Prevention Act. Does that mean they support hate crimes?????

* A lot has been said about Republican Steve Stivers and his career as a bank lobbyist. What does a bank lobbyist support?

...Scott Talbott, Senior Vice President for Government Affairs at The Financial Services Roundtable (one of the financial services industry’s main lobbying arms) appeared on C-Span to discuss the Obama administration’s proposal to create a new Consumer Financial Protection Agency (CFPA). The Roundtable has already made its opposition to the new agency abundantly clear, while claiming there are other ways to enhance financial regulations. However, when asked what the Roundtable would support, Talbott slipped and said “we’re not for any regulation“:

HOST: So if not this process by the administration, the creation of the CFPA, how would the Financial Services Roundtable go about assessing and remedying this…

TALBOTT: Sure, sure. We’re not for any regulation. In fact, we have some proposals, but what we don’t want to do is separate out the regulation of the entity from the regulation of the product, which is what the CFPA would do....

Wow. Bank lobbyists don't want any regulations? That would allow consumers to get ripped off even more. If Stivers, a former bank lobbyist, would actually answer questions, we might be able to get his views on this. While Stivers attends 9/12 events and courts right wingers, he avoids giving his opinion to anyone outside of his inner circle. Here is a little bit of info on what Stivers did do as a bank lobbyist (Time):

....Stivers spent seven years advocating looser bank regulation as a lobbyist for the former Bank One, a longtime corporate powerhouse in Columbus that is now part of banking giant JPMorgan Chase....

Let me see if I have this right. Bank lobbyists are for little or no regulations. If you've ever had a problem with a bank or a mortgage concern, you can't be happy with that idea. Yet Republicans are giddy about sending a former bank lobbyist like Stivers to Congress??????

Wednesday, February 17, 2010

They voted against the stimulus, but they have been caught supporting it. The list of Republican members of Congress who have been called hypocrites is growing. They were against it, but they've praised it, and have even asked for money for their district.

The Buzzbox at Spectator.org has a list of the 93 Republican hypocrites who have tried to grab some of the limelight and stimulus money:

...OHIO

Schmidt Requested Stimulus Funds for Energy Efficiency Projects. “Republican Reps. Sue Myrick of North Carolina and Jean Schmidt of Ohio sent letters in October asking for consideration of funding requests from local organizations training workers for energy-efficiency projects. In November, Ms. Schmidt said in a statement, ‘It is time to recall the stimulus funds that have not been spent before the Chinese start charging us interest.’ Aides to the congresswomen said they had always supported local organizations in their requests for federal funding.” [Wall Street Journal, 2/16/10]

Rep. Tiberi (OH-12) Encouraged Funding From USDA, Saying “The Project Could Support Businesses And Jobs In Communities Across The Country.” Rep. Pat Tiberi, Ohio Republican, in October called the final Democratic stimulus bill ‘loaded with [House Speaker] Nancy Pelosi's grab bag of big spending wishes’ and that it ‘saddles future generations with mountains of debt.’ He struck a different tone in a letter to Mr. Vilsack. ‘While this project is intended to expand rural broadband in Alaska, I understand that the project could support businesses and jobs in communities across the country,’ Mr. Tiberi wrote, citing one such company in his district. A spokeswoman for Mr. Tiberi said he is just fighting for jobs in his district. ‘Congressman Tiberi didn't support the stimulus bill, but when it comes down to parts of the bill that are actually going to support jobs, he's going to come down on the side of supporting businesses and Ohio jobs,’ Tiberi spokeswoman Breann Gonzalez said.” [Washington Times, 2/9/10]

Rep. LaTourette (OH-14) “Is Pleased That Some Departments Will Benefit From This New COPS Program.” According to a press release from Representative LaTourette's office, LaTourette said, "I know our local departments are facing rough financial times, and there have been some department layoffs and hiring freezes across the state." It then continues to say that he "is pleased that some departments will benefit from this new COPS program." [Representative LaTourette's Press Release; 2/27/09]...

Note to Republican hypocrites: If you didn't vote for the stimulus, you should not expect any benefits, no matter how much you beg. You didn't support the stimulus and you should not take pictures delivering big stimulus checks.

* In a blog called Fatalisnotmypal, the author calls Jon Husted an "empty suit" and says this:

....let us take a look at the empty suit candidacy of another "Conservative", the one and only Jon Husted or more appropriately “Whostead” who seems to know more about his lobbyists friends in Columbus and Upper Arlington than his constituents in Kettering near Dayton. Ask him about the loss of jobs from the NCR move and more than likely you will get a blank stare.....

That is from a Republican!

**** It seems as though voters are starting to examine Republican Rep. Pat Tiberi's (OH-12) voting record! Tiberi has been coasting along following John Boehner's every step and command. In the end, Tiberi's constituents have had no help from him as long as he continues to vote "NO!" on legislation.

....As for the people who are living and breathing and voting and trying to find work in Dublin and Westerville? No, Pat Tiberi hasn’t figured out a bill for them yet. He’s been so busy criticizing Democrats for introducing the wrong bills that he just hasn’t had the time to come up with one of his own. Maybe he’ll come up with something in 2011. Maybe.

Ouch!

>>Warning! A far right conservative group will be running ads against Rep. Mary Jo Kilroy (OH-15), according to The Fix. The conservative alternative to AARP, 60 Plus Association, is a front for the pharmaceutical industry, according to SourceWatch. Factcheck.org has an entire file on this group and their lies.

Ohio Attorney General Richard Cordray says he's pointing to his accomplishments as the head of 2 state agencies as he seeks re-election this year.

Cordray, a Democrat, formally announced his candidacy Tuesday....

....The Grove City resident was elected state treasurer in 2006. He says he met his promise to restore professionalism at the attorney general's office just like he restored integrity to state investments at the treasurer's office after an investment scandal....

Ohioans have a lot of confidence in Richard Cordray. Go Cordray!

* Are Republicans in the state of Ohio preparing to go after state retirement funds? Recent articles in the Dispatch seem to hint that some Ohio Republicans want to cut some retirement funds.

Tuesday, February 16, 2010

Just when you thought that the Ohio Republicans were having a love fest, it is revealed that the fighting and bickering has continued. Oh goody!!!

The Examiner.com has all the ugly stuff on the Brown Co. GOP supporting and endorsing far right GOPer, Seth Morgan for State Auditor against the wishes of Ohio GOP honcho, Kevin Dewine + David Yost. Apparently, Yost isn't conservative enough for the Brown Co. GOP. Personally, Yost is no winner either. Yost stopped the recount in Delaware County during the very close presidential election in 2004.

* Plunderbund has more on the Tim Grendell sign hypocrisy. Check it out at Plunderbund. If you are unfamiliar with Grendell, Buckeyestateblog has some comments made by Grendell following Sen. Kennedy's death. If you'd like to offer Grendell your opinions on his work against the environment, against pro-choice issues, against teachers and labor, you may contact him at SD18@senate.state.oh.usor (614) 644-7718.

* What has Republican Rep. Pat Tiberi (OH-12) done for you? According to the DAV (Disabled American Veterans), Tiberi has voted 10 times against bills for Disabled American Vets, and9 times for bills that support Disabled American Vets. Sounds like a pretty bad track record.

> Did you ever wonder which people identify with the Tea Party groups? According to an article in the Seattle Times, groups like "...Friends for Liberty..., ...Glenn Beck's 9/12 Project, the John Birch Society, Ron Paul's Campaign for Liberty, and Oath Keepers... " are among the groups finding a home within the Tea Party movement. Despite these far right leanings, the Republican Party has embraced these far right people and their scary beliefs.

* Would you like to know what Ohio Republicans would do if they got elected?

The Toledo Blade has a story about Republican candidate for state senate, Tom Waniewski. Waniewski suggests higher sales taxes, and he noted that ".....the departments of Youth Services and Job and Family Services are ripe for cuts...." Waniewski suggests that the United Way could do it all. He also likes Kasich's idea to abolish the state income tax.

In looking over these proposals from Kasich and his Republican sheeple, we can see that they just want to destroy everything we've worked to build, such as strong, inclusive public schools, award winning libraries, safety nets for workers and families, rehabilitation services for youths, etc., etc., etc....... They want tax cuts for the rich while everyone else is left with crumbs.

Monday, February 15, 2010

Here is the cached version of a Zoominfo page about Republican candidate Steve Stivers:

The Taft Tax, as it is now known, was the largest tax increase in state history and Steve Stivers supported it. [Cleveland Plain Dealer. 6/27/03, Citizens for a Sound Economy, 6/27/03, National Federation of Independent Business, "State Spending in Ohio" USA Today, 2/9/04]

The tax contained 151 fee increases which disproportionately affected middle class families. [Columbus Dispatch, 6/27/03]Â It also raised tuition at Ohio universities over previously imposed caps.Â Tuition at Ohio State increase by 12.9 percent, and all other Ohio schools went up by 9.9 percent.Â

On the other hand, the budget did give wealthy individuals tax breaks to buy time shares on corporate jets. [Akron Beacon Journal, 6/21/03]...

Sunday, February 14, 2010

Wow! The Republicans are heaping so much praise on John Kasich that you'd think he alone saved the nation during the Clinton administration. What Kasich, Gingrich, and the rest of the GOP revisionists don't tell you is that Kasich wanted to cut food stamps, cap Medicare, and eliminate the Departments of Energy and Commerce (source: Seattle Times 5/14/98) when he was in Congress. Kasich pushed these budget cuts in order to try to get tax cuts. Are Kasich's previous attempts at cutting and eliminating programs for the poor and elderly a way of predicting what he'd do if elected governor? In pushing for these cuts, he also got many Republicans angry and some of them felt that he went too far.

>>> Since the Republican Party is made up largely of old white men, it is not surprising that some of their "young guns" are older. Republican candidate Steve Stivers, a former bank lobbyist is 44, and Steve Cabot, former GOP member of Congress is 57! We can conclude that the term "young guns" must be a totally worthless term ---- just like the Republican health reform legislation.

* Don't you love the title of this article from Gather--Rachel Maddow Exposes 23 GOP Welfare Queens Who Attacked Obama's Stimulus, Yet Enjoyed Billions in Benefits...

Some Ohio Republicans appear on the list of the "...23 GOP Welfare Queens..."

...Republican Pat Tiberi of Ohio trashed the stimulus, voted no, then praised its effect in his home district by saying it would support businesses and jobs...

...Even John Boehner, leader of the House Republicans, who has led the trashing of the stimulus and voted no on it and who bragged so enthusiastically on Republicans in the House all voting against it.

When it came to his home district, John Boehner praised the federal funding for shovel-ready projects that will create much needed jobs....

Friday, February 12, 2010

* Under the guise of a "meet the candidates" right wing tea baggers are parading their "approved" candidates for the public (source). Among those listed on the candidate list isRepublican Steve Stivers!

Here are some additional excerpts from Steve Stivers 912project questionnaire:

...How do you think you would vote on this legislation or amendment?Cutting the corporate income tax.

Stivers checked Support

...Repeal the 17th Amendment to the U.S. Constitution. Senators would once again be chosen by the state legislations.

Stivers checked Support

...The Constitution is a living, breathing document that should be interpreted to reflect modern realities.

Stivers checkedStrongly Disagree

Amazing. Does that mean that Stivers is against the amendment that gave women the right to vote? Is Stivers against the amendment that abolished slavery? Which amendments does Stivers not support?

Is Stivers willing to say anything to get the votes of the teabaggers?

Thursday, February 11, 2010

Republican candidate for Congress, Steve Stivers, filled out a "9/12 Candidate Survey" and his responses are posted online at 912ohio.com. The survey is divided into several sections. Here are a few of the responses Stivers gave to the 9/12 group:

Page 2 4) Name one or more federal departments or programs that you would introduce legislation to phase out or eliminate. Explain your position.

Stivers' response: This is a hard question, because only four Departments perform Constitutional roles. (State, Defense, Justice & Treasury), so you could eliminate the Departments of Agriculture, Education, Interior, Housing and Urban Development, Transportation, Energy and other to return to a constitutionally pure government.

One example I would eliminate is the Department of the Interior - The Department of the Interior is responsible for managing land owned by the federal government.... The Interior Department should be abolished, and those lands that have recreational or historical value should be sold or given to private conservation groups......

Page 7 7) Do you believe the Bush administration was justified in using enhanced interrogation techniques as they did?

Stivers checked Yes.

8) Do you think water-boarding is torture?

Stivers checked Undecided.

Clearly, these responses by Steve Stivers prove that he has moved far more to the right. Why is Stivers trying to appeal to this fringe group? Does he support their all of their issues and extremist views?

* Democrat Mary Ellen O'Shaughnessy has her website up for her campaign for Ohio Secretary of State. Visit the website and help boost Mary Ellen's campaign. If we want to have safe, open, fair elections, you must vote for a Democrat for Ohio Secretary of State.

A bill that the House overwhelmingly passed Thursday aiming to improve cybersecurity includes an amendment by Rep. Mary Jo Kilroy, D-Columbus.

Her amendment would make federal grants available to high schools and community colleges for use in encouraging students to enter academic and professional careers in information technology and cybersecurity.

Kilroy said in a statement that her amendment would help "ensure that students, teachers and professionals are best prepared to lead the world in cybersecurity and protect us against new threats to our national security."

If we want to keep our country secure, we've got to encourage our young people to get educated in information technology.

....Republican gubernatorial candidate John Kasich said creating jobs would be one of his priorities, harkening back to the days of former Republican Gov. Jim Rhodes.

Kasich said he would be the economic development director for the state and, like Rhodes, would go anywhere to get companies to locate in Ohio....

....Kasich said he would create an atmosphere that would foster more jobs and growth.....

This is just more Kasich "Blah. Blah. Blah."

Does anyone else think Kasich is just offering a bunch of rhetoric and that he is short on real plans? How do you "create an atmosphere" for more jobs? Would he try to drop the minimum wage? Eliminate the Ohio Bureau of Workers' Compensation? Cut pension funds? This sounds like a bunch of baloney.

For those young people that don't remember the days of Gov. Jim Rhodes, I have a few words to describe those years: Republican favoritism, one party rule, and the Kent State killings in May 1970.

Claiming that he fears the song " Ohio " will incite further violence on college campuses following the killing of four students at Kent State University, Governor James Rhodes attempts to order Ohio radio stations to ban the song....

...In 1970, Rhodes ordered the Ohio National Guard to Kent State University to quell protests against the Vietnam War. The guardsmen killed four people. Before the shootings, Rhodes referred to the protestors as being "worse than the brownshirts and the communist element and also the nightriders and the vigilantes. They're the worst type of people that we harbor in America. I think that we're up against the strongest, well-trained, militant, revolutionary group that has ever assembled in America." Two days after the Kent State shootings, Rhodes lost the Republican primary election to the United States Senate....

I was a student at the Ohio State University when the students were killed at Kent by the National Guard that Rhodes sent. I remember how Rhodes sent the National Guard with guns to the Ohio State campus. This is how I remember Jim Rhodes.

Until Kasich starts answering real questions from real people and not his sheeple, he will continue to talk in generalities and full blown spiels of nothingness.

Wednesday, February 10, 2010

* Is the Ohio Tea Party chipping away at the foundation of the Ohio GOP? After noting that the Republican candidate for Ohio Attorney General Mike DeWine isn't conservative enough, the Tea Party has their own candidate for the office---- Steve Christopher (source: Middletownjournal). This infighting within the Ohio GOP and around their so called "base" probably will cause a lot of headaches for them. While the Republicans and Tea Baggers fight it out, current Ohio Attorney General Richard Cordray, Democrat, has over $2.5 million on hand for the campaign (source: Dispatch).

I don't know about you, but I prefer a grownup for Ohio Secretary of State. Husted is known for temper tantrums and shouting matches with various individuals, boards, and state agencies. (see: Cleveland.com --- Note the word "pressure" concerning Husted. "Pressure" is a polite word for the gross, rude, loud, behavior Husted displayed at a meeting with some boards. Does Husted still want to exert "pressure" on various public employee retirement pensions regarding their investments?

* Have you heard about the "shadow budget" that the Republicans have been planning? Republicans, John Boehner and Paul Ryan, are carrying around a super secret "shadow budget" plan to push for privatizing social security and cutting Medicare (see TalkingPointsMemo).

We've also seen hints from other GOPers. Republican Rep. Marsha Blackburn has been on TV talking about privatizing Social Security and Medicare (source: TPMDC). Republican Rep. Michele Bachmann wants to "...wean everybody..." off Social Security and Medicare (see ThinkProgress).

Can you just imagine what would have happened if we had followed the Republican plan to privatize Social Security just before the recent Wall Street collapse? OMG! You and I would have had our parents and in-laws living with us!!!!!

* Republican Rep. Pat Tiberi (OH-12) has been accused of talking out of both sides of his mouth. Cleveland.com:

...U.S. Rep. Pat Tiberi of suburban Columbus is among more than a dozen Republican lawmakers who criticized Obama's economic stimulus plan, then turned around and quietly sought money from the plan, according to a blistering story today in the Washington Times....

....In October, Tiberi complained that the stimulus package bill was "loaded with Nancy Pelosi's grab bag of big spending wishes" and that it "saddles future generations with mountains of debt," the Times reported.....

Tsk. Tsk. Tsk. Even the right wing Columbus Dispatch had this about Tiberi's pleas for stimulus money:

...Tiberi made his request in a letter last July to Agriculture Secretary Tom Vilsack and Commerce Secretary Gary Locke. In the letter, Tiberi wrote that C.O.W. Industries of Columbus "has informed me that the project could support numerous jobs in Ohio.''

Gabby Adler, a spokeswoman for the Democratic Congressional Campaign Committee, charged that Tiberi "was writing private letters lobbying for projects'' paid for by a stimulus package that never would have passed the House "if Tiberi had his way.''

...Not a single House Republican supported the stimulus package, which was designed to inject a spark into the nation's battered economy. They argued the bill would add hundreds of billions of dollars to the national debt and would not be an effective way to create jobs in the private sector...

Tuesday, February 09, 2010

* If elected governor, Kasich said he would eliminate the state income tax. How would Kasich make up the state's deficit? Would he tax groceries like they do in Alabama, West Virginia, and Arkansas? Kasich doesn't seem to know the full implications of doing away with the state income tax, but you have to wonder what he'd do. Would he cut state pensions for public employees? Could Kasich eliminate the Bureau of Workers Compensation or cut worker benefits to help his business friends? Kasich could sell state prisons to private companies and eliminate state jobs. He could also do away with the Ohio EPA, because Republicans just hate anything that regulates the safety of our environment.

Why won't Kasich take questions from the press? Is he afraid of the press?

***Rep. Bob Latta (OH-5th-GOP) was out visiting his district recently, according to the Advertiser-Tribune:

...One area Latta addressed was renovation of the 1884 Seneca County courthouse.

Seneca County commissioners have been in contact with Senators George Voinovich and Sherrod Brown as well as Gov. Ted Strickland concerning funding opportunities. Latta said he plans to work with the senators on the project....

Note to Bob Latta: If you don't vote for the stimulus projects or for job creation bills, it might be difficult to get any money for your pet projects.

I don't know if you are interested in body language, but I thought it was very interesting to see Bob Latta listening to the problems of his constituents. Apparently, he doesn't seem very receptive to what they're saying:

(Photo by Nick Dutro)

*** Rep. Pat Tiberi (OH-12th-Republican) represents the district adjacent to the 15th. However, we hear very little about Tiberi. What has Tiberi done to help get people back to work?

Kilroy, a Columbus Democrat and key player in the health-care debate, said Democrats could plow through an expected GOP filibuster using a process that allows the Senate to pass tax and spending bills with a simple majority of 51, rather than a filibuster-proof 60 votes....

....Obama has invited congressional leaders of both parties to a televised health-care "summit" on Feb. 25 to find common ground. House Republican Leader John Boehner of West Chester said Republicans plan to participate.

In comments to The Dispatch editorial board yesterday, Kilroy said if Republicans continue to stymie health-care legislation, Democrats could enact much of it on their own....

We need to get the health care legislation finished and passed before the health insurance firms raise their premiums even higher like some are doing in California.

Some health insurance companies think that health care won't pass and they've started to raise their premiums even higher. (Is this what the Republicans wanted?)

Anthem Blue Cross, California's largest for-profit health insurer, is raising premiums for individual insurance policies by 30-39 percent on March 1, according to a report by the Los Angeles Times.

Individual policies, which already tend to be more expensive than group policies, are a refuge for people who are uninsured, self-employed or have recently lost employer-based coverage....

I'm not surprised. Ohioans will probably start seeing increases.

**** John Kasich has tons of money but claims that Ohio is doing very poorly. (Of course, he absolves Bob Taft and Bush from any blame.)

Cleveland Leader:Republican Gubernatorial candidate John Kasich holds 45,000 share of stock in company that says “Ohio’s business climate is better than ever.” Oops.

The revelation came in a blog by former Plain Dealer reporter Bill Sloat in his meaninful blog out of Cinicinnati.....

....Kasich has been on Invacare's board of directors since 2001. The latest proxy statement shows him with 45,018 shares. Just after noon today, those shares were worth $26.46 each -- or $1,1919,762. Kasich seems to have done well financially in a state whose tax and business climate he is ripping on the campaign trail. His Invacare holdings have made him wealthy. You can find the a link to the Invacare ad here and a brochure(pdf) that lists Invacare among several corporations that are effusive about their Ohio business locations.

Monday, February 08, 2010

* I just found a PBS transcript from July 18, 2008, in which various people speak about banking regulations and predatory lending:

...OHIO STATE REPRESENTATIVE JON HUSTED: I don't think that there is anyone in this body today that can tell me how we should regulate, manage or micromanage how people get loans in this state....

This leads me to believe that Husted is for predatory lending and no regulations whatsoever for banks. Isn't this what created the financial crisis in our country?

* Sarah Palin's notes on her hand for her speech at the Tea Party convention reminded me of middle school cheerleaders writing down the list of cheers they had to perform. Palin's words on her hand were so 7th grade. Is anyone else bothered by her poor speaking patterns and simplistic vocabulary? This indicates that she does very little reading.

* President Obama has offered to work with Republicans on TV and discuss health care. However, the Republicans cannot "man up" and take the invitation to work with President Obama (see YahooNews).

Are Republicans afraid of President Obama's intelligence? Are the Republicans just not going to talk about health care because they just don't give a damn about the general well-being of Americans? Do the Republicans just plan to stall for all eternity?

* We have about 11 inches of snow on the ground here in central Ohio. It remains very cold, with the chance of additional snow in the next few days.

* In re-examining the 2008 race for Ohio's 15th congressional district, you have to wonder how certain people feel about the candidates. U.S. Rep. Mary Jo Kilroy (Democrat), has demonstrated her commitment to regular human beings by working on legislation that helps people find and secure jobs, get health care, protect and help our veterans, and punish the risky investment behavior of banks. Kilroy and her staff have made huge efforts to help her constituents. Kilroy has also gained even more support among her legions of college students.

On the other hand, former bank lobbyist and Republican candidate for Congress, Steve Stivers, continues to obsess about his loss in the 2008 election, when he said the following (TheHill):

...Ohio State’s 50,000 students undoubtedly helped Kilroy in 2008, but their turnout is expected to plummet in a midterm election, especially since President Obama will not be on the ticket. Stivers said a lower turnout will help him.

“Everything kind of broke against me at the end, with the financial crisis in September and the big turnout on the Ohio State University campus,” he said. “A lot of people came out and voted a straight ticket with Obama and didn’t really even give me an opportunity.”

I have many questions about Stivers and his approach to his second run:

Will Stivers try to stop the high turn out at the OSU campus? Does he think the financial crisis with banks has gotten better and people will forget his ties to the banking industry? With his fundraiser in DC with the bigshots of the banking industry (Financial Roundtable), does Stivers hope to go to Washington, DC to protect the banks, investment firms, and big oil? Why else would these bank PACs continue to provide contributions to Stivers if they didn't think he'd support their industry?

When word got out that Chase planned to outsource thousands of jobs to India, Mary Jo Kilroy worked to keep those jobs in central Ohio. If Stivers had been in Kilroy's position, what would he have done? Would he have defended Chase's move to India?

Have the people of Union County forgotten Stiver's legislative contribution that allowed Hi-Q Egg Farm to have a location for their millions of chickens? Will they vote for a person who allowed Hi-Q to ruin their farms, waterways, air, and soil?

Stivers has not made it a secret that he has made a dramatic turn to the far right. Will even moderate Republicans support him now that he has aligned himself with the Tea Party sheeple?

Answers to these questions will not come right away, but we will all have to keep an eye on the action in the coming months.

Friday, February 05, 2010

The unemployment rate fell in January to 9.7% from 10% in December, the Labor Department said Friday....

>>> According to CantonRep.com, Republicans in Stark County, Ohio, are very excited about their prospects for winning in the general election.

What if Kasich were elected governor? How would Stark County residents feel if Kasich cut out the state income tax? Initially, they might be happy, but then the cold reality of the cuts would hit them hard.Kasichcuts.com:

Stark County, Ohio 44703:

$6,857,312 would be cut from local police and fire departments, parks, public health, other local services

...No records show how many kids actually attended the Harte School for girls or Crossroads Preparatory Academy for boys. Staff members were paid willy-nilly, and payroll records didn't exist. Bank loans, federal and state grants, and per-pupil funding were spent on who knows what. The audits covered fiscal years 2005, 2006 and 2007.

In all, more than $4 million is owed to the federal and state governments, teachers and vendors, the audits say....

...The auditors' findings for $4 million are in addition to the $3.3 million a Franklin County court said the defunct schools owed in 2008....

Despite many Ohio charter school disasters like this, Republican candidates, like Husted and Kasich still would like to have even more charter schools in the state.

**** Why is John Kasich afraid to face the press? According to an article from the Plain Dealer published at Cleveland.com Kasich refuses to answer questions from anyone in the press. Kasich likes to control his message, but this phobia about not talking to the press is weird.

There is a fabulous new website called Kasichcuts.com which demonstrates the results of Kasich's ending of the Ohio income tax. Currently, the Ohio income tax provide 40% of the state's funding.

> For residents of Dublin, Ohio 43017--- If Kasich were elected and then eliminated the state income tax---( 1 ) $32,487,086 would be cut from local police and fire departments, public health and other local services.( 2 ) $15,619,976 would be cut from local libraries.

> For residents of Kettering, Ohio 43419----If Kasich were elected and then eliminated the state income tax----( 1 ) $13,698,054 would be cut from local police and fire departments, parks, public health, and other local services.(2 ) $9,022,412 would be cut from local libraries.

> In Summit County, Ohio 44087---If Kasich were elected and then eliminated the state income tax----( 1 ) $14,966,386 would be cut from local police and fire departments, parks, public health, and other local services.( 2 ) $8,085,234 would be cut from local libraries.

If you want to see what cuts your community would see under a Kasich administration, visit Kasichcuts.com to see your numbers. It is clear that Ohio can't afford Kasich's crazy solutions.

Wednesday, February 03, 2010

I listened to the WOSU radio discussion today about the proposed passenger rail system for Ohio. Moderator, Ann Fisher, interviewed Stu Nicholson, spokesperson for the Ohio Rail Development Commission, Patricia Quinn from the New England Rail Passenger System, and Jon Husted, GOP state senator for Kettering (but he resides in Upper Arlington).

When moderator, Ann Fisher suggested that Husted was "opposing" the rail system, Husted said, "Opposing is too strong a word. I'm worried about the debt."

(Isn't it amazing that the Republicans just noticed the debt! Our country went from a surplus at the end of the Clinton administration to over a trillion dollar national debt at the end of the Bush administration. Do Republicans have any idea how that happened????)

Husted complained that the posted train schedule was inconvenient. Husted then said if he wanted to go to a Reds game, he could leave his home in Kettering, but he'd have to wait until the next day to return to Kettering. At that point, I was laughing hysterically in my kitchen. Husted doesn't live in Kettering!!! If he were going to a Reds game, he'd leave his home in Upper Arlington instead of the abandoned bungalow in Kettering.

Ann Fisher then asked Husted if he could provide a model of a similar passenger rail system that had failed. Husted said he could not provide an example. Duh!

When asked to provide his examples for how to raise revenue, Husted had nothing.

If you've been outside the states, you are well aware of the passenger rail systems in other countries. Each train station has shops (newspaper stands, drug stores, coffee shops, snack bars, etc.), and a thriving taxi/bus line. Sandwiches and refreshments are sold on the trains. People use the trains to visit relatives, go on vacation, visit friends, go to meetings (catch up on paper/computer/e-mails w/internet access), catch a concert, go shopping in another city, etc.

The passenger rail system could provide thousands of jobs and huge business growth for Ohio. Why is Husted against people having jobs and the start of small businesses?

*** Note: Jon Husted, Republican of Kettering and Upper Arlington, will be on WOSU 820 AM radio this morning at 11:30 am, speaking in opposition to the rail project for Ohio. If you'd like to e-mail/phone All Sides with Ann Fisher to ask Husted about......

....why he continues to represent Kettering, when he actually lives in Upper Arlington....

....how he gets all those construction projects in Kettering (like the Austin Pike project) when they weren't even deemed necessary...

.....how he gets all those contributions from White Hat Management, the largest owner of charter schools in Ohio....

.....why he wants to stop the "golden week" when citizens of Ohio are allowed to register and vote the same week/day....

.....what other ways does he plan to restrict voting if he is elected Ohio Secretary of State....

Call/email: Your voice matters on WOSU's All Sides with Ann Fisher. Call All Sides at 614-292-8513 or write to All Sides at allsides@wosu.org (N.B. All emails will be read, but the producers may not have time to respond to all of them personally).

____________________________

*****Democrats have a strong candidate for Ohio Secretary of State, Mary Ellen O'Shaughnessy.Auroraadvocate:

A clerk of courts from central Ohio will seek the Democratic nomination for Secretary of State.

Maryellen O'Shaughnessy, clerk of the Franklin County Common Pleas Court and a former Columbus City Councilwoman, made her announcement Feb. 1, two days after Democratic state Rep. Jennifer Garrison announced she was dropping out of the race.

O'Shaughnessy has the backing of Gov. Ted Strickland and state party Chairman Chris Redfern....

O'Shaughnessy will have a tough battle against the Republican "golden boy"--- Jon Husted. Husted has collected a lot of money, but many people resent his battle over his residency. Husted, as you recall, represents Kettering in the Ohio Senate, but lives with his family 99.9% of the time in fancy, schmancy Upper Arlington. The Ohio Supreme Court, controlled by Republicans, allowed Husted to claim Kettering for "voting purposes." Husted is considered very conservative.

Tuesday, February 02, 2010

Cleveland.com has some interesting totals from Republicans running for Congress:

Republican Party's 'Young Gun' congressional challengers get

blown out in Ohio fund raising

Republican challengers for U.S. House of Representatives’ seats in Ohio were left in the fund-raising dust by Democratic incumbents during the last quarter of 2009, newly filed Federal Election Commission reports show....

Ooooops!

Ohioans might be a little apprehensive to contribute money to the Ohio Republican Party. The Ohio GOP has given the state so much! Here are just a few noteworthy items from a posting of mine from September 30, 2006:

Now the Republican scandal list is increasing. Besides Duke Cunningham, and Tom DeLay, a new name can be added to the Republican scandal list-----Republican Rep. Mark Foley of Florida. Americablog has some of the text from the e-mails and IMs (Instant Messages) that Foley sent to the kid....

Don't let the Republicans talk about "family values" in front of you as though they are better than you are. Is it a family value to divorce, steal money from taxpayers as in "Coingate", be more concerned with their own wealth than helping constituents, greed, avarice, etc., etc., etc.........

You get the point. Ohioans want elected officials who represent us------ not lobbyists or wealthy owners of charter schools. Do Ohioans really want a Republican governor who will gut and close public schools in order to reward certain contributors?

***** I don't know if you've seen the latest Daily Kos poll, but it is a hoot. It clearly shows that the Republican Party has gone over the edge.

...I find it outrageous that he (Rep. Pat Tiberi) has the unmitigated nerve to criticize the president on his State of the Union address. There couldn’t be anyone in Congress who has done less for working families in their district than Pat Tiberi.....

....It’s time to show Pat Tiberi the unemployment line....

Tiberi, who follows John Boehner around like a puppy, doesn't seem to be able to think on his own. He follows the party line, speaks the talking points, and upholds the rights of bankers and corporations over those of people.

>>> Once a bank lobbyist, always a bank lobbyist??? Republican candidate for congress, Steve Stivers, continues to hang out with bank lobbyists. The Financial Services Roundtable, the top lobbying group for big banks, held a fundraiser for Stivers (source: Financial Services Rountable). According to the FEC (Federal Elections Commission), the Financial Services Roundtable PAC has rewarded Stivers with some hefty contributions:

Monday, February 01, 2010

Republican candidate for Ohio Secretary of State, Jon Husted, has not even been elected yet and he is already trying to restrict your right to vote. Husted's Twitter account reads:

"In Senate we are voting on an elections reform bill, that among many things eliminates the golden week registering/voting on the same day."

Husted, who represents Kettering, but lives in Upper Arlington, seems ready, willing, and able to block voters from having every opportunity to vote. Does Husted already make you think of the last Republican Secretary of State, Ken Blackwell? Blackwell did all he could to make sure voting machines did not work, voters names were thrown off the lists, polling places were understaffed, and the state went to Bush. I don't want to live that nightmare again!

It might be a good idea for the Ohio Democratic Party to start printing bumper stickers that read:

Jon Husted = Just like Ken Blackwell

(only more arrogant)

Restrict Your Right to VoteVote for Husted

The year ahead should be interesting. I just hope that Ohioans are ready to get out there and vote.